BitmapImage to byte[]

Question

I have a BitmapImage that I'm using in a WPF application, I later want to save it to a database as a byte array (I guess it's the best way), how can I perform this conversion?

Or, alternatively, is there a better way to save a BitmapImage (or any of its base classes, BitmapSource or ImageSource) to a data repository?

Christoph Fink · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-06T14:18:56.260

71

To convert to a byte[] you can use a MemoryStream:

byte[] data;
JpegBitmapEncoder encoder = new JpegBitmapEncoder();
encoder.Frames.Add(BitmapFrame.Create(bitmapImage));
using(MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
{
    encoder.Save(ms);
    data = ms.ToArray();
}

Instead of the JpegBitmapEncoder you can use whatever BitmapEncoder you like as casperOne said.

If you are using MS SQL you could also use a image-Column as MS SQL supports that datatype, but you still would need to convert the BitmapImage somehow.

edited Jul 06 '11 at 14:18

answered Jul 06 '11 at 14:05

Christoph Fink

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This works if I've loaded my image in using the UriSource, but if I load it in from a memory stream, at encoder.Save(ms), I get Exception thrown: 'System.InvalidOperationException' in PresentationCore.dll An unhandled exception of type 'System.InvalidOperationException' occurred in PresentationCore.dll Operation is not valid due to the current state of the object. A few of the properties of ms are showing 'System.InvalidOperationException'. – Tommy Nov 01 '21 at 23:22
1

@Tommy This sounds like some other problem you are facing which maybe just pops up during conversion, because it should work fine... Maybe you can create a new question including you code to reproduce the problem and comment a link here? – Christoph Fink Nov 02 '21 at 06:46
@Christopher Thanks so much. I've posted [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/69812386/saving-a-bitmapimage-to-file-works-when-the-image-has-been-imported-from-file-b) – Tommy Nov 02 '21 at 14:52

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 06 '11 at 14:13

6

You will have to use an instance of a class that derives from BitmapEncoder (such as BmpBitmapEncoder) and call the Save method to save the BitmapSource to a Stream.

You would choose the specific encoder depending on the format you want to save the image in.

answered Jul 06 '11 at 14:13

casperOne

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Can you provide a code sample? Let's say for simplicity I want PNG (that's the format loaded into the BitmapImage). – SoManyGoblins Jul 06 '11 at 14:46

score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 06 '11 at 14:04

-1

write it to a MemoryStream, then you can access the bytes from there. something kinda like this:

public Byte[] ImageToByte(BitmapImage imageSource)
{
    Stream stream = imageSource.StreamSource;
    Byte[] buffer = null;
    if (stream != null && stream.Length > 0)
    {
        using (BinaryReader br = new BinaryReader(stream))
        {
            buffer = br.ReadBytes((Int32)stream.Length);
        }
    }

    return buffer;
}

answered Jul 06 '11 at 14:04

Muad'Dib

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I think that doesn't work if you are using UriSource to load the image, but I'm not shure... – Christoph Fink Jul 06 '11 at 14:16
@chrfin mmmm, dunno havn't tried it. should work fine for his WPF app, tho – Muad'Dib Jul 06 '11 at 14:27
My StreamSource property on the BitmapImage is null for some reason, any idea why? – SoManyGoblins Jul 06 '11 at 14:39
@So: because you didn't load it from a stream. This isn't going to work for you. – user7116 Jul 06 '11 at 14:43
@ChrFin: Yes. You are correct. if we use UriSource, StreamSource would be null. – Venugopal M Feb 26 '15 at 11:15

score -2 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 24 '21 at 07:30

You can give a formate of bitmap:

Image bmp = new Bitmap(Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height);
Graphics.FromImage(bmp).CopyFromScreen(new Point(0, 0), new Point(0, 0), Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Size);

MemoryStream m = new MemoryStream();
bmp.Save(m, System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png);
byte[] imageBytes = m.ToArray();
string base64String = Convert.ToBase64String(imageBytes);

score -7 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 06 '11 at 14:08

-7

Just use a MemoryStream.


byte[] data = null;

using(MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
{
    bitmapImage.Save(ms);
    data = ms.ToArray();
}

answered Jul 06 '11 at 14:08

bdowden

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You forgot a few steps there... you need to use an encoder. – memory of a dream Mar 27 '14 at 15:41

BitmapImage to byte[]

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